China-Russia launch South China Sea naval wargames

Russian Federation and China plan to conduct joint naval drills Monday through September 19 in the South China Sea – the first time any country has done exercises there since Beijing’s claims to the sea were rejected two months ago.

China has claimed vast swathes of the waterway, which accounts for most of the 3.5-million-square-km South China Sea, with Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also staking claims. Trade worth more than United States $5 trillion passes through the strategic South China Sea annually.

Joint Chinese-Russian drills have grown increasingly common in recent years — this week’s exercises are the fifth between the two navies since 2012 — with the countries joined in their mutual suspicion of the USA and its allies. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLAN) held live fire exercises in July, right before the release of the tribunal’s decision.

“Compared to previous drills, this drill will deepen and expand in its form, content, command, deployment and so on, especially in practicality, informationization and standardization”. This news story is related to Latest/149768-China-Russia-to-stage-military-drills-in-SChina-Sea/ – breaking news, latest news, pakistan ne. China and Russian Federation will hold their joint maneuvers in the South China Sea, while the US drill will take place near Guam in the western Pacific.

“This is a routine exercise between the two armed forces, aimed at strengthening the developing China-Russia strategic cooperative partnership”, China’s defense ministry spokesman Yang Yujun said of the drills when they were announced.

According to Reuters, China and Russian Federation conducted joint military drills in the Mediterranean and the Sea of Japan previous year.

China has accused the Philippines of having “deliberately mischaracterized” disputes in the sea – and which sees more than $5 trillion in maritime trade every year – declaring the court’s award “null and void”. Last year’s iteration in the Sea of Japan did not include an amphibious assault component, according to the Chinese Defense Ministry.

The China-Russia joint naval exercises have been conducted four previous times annually.